Ease into Monday with Tupac: “To Live In Die In L.A.” (music)

“Paradise Is Burning” shot on the first night of The Los Angeles Uprising in 1992. Photo by RumbleSkout3 AKA Abraham Torres

It’s time to ease into Monday with some music after an intense weekend remembering The Los Angeles Uprising — the largest civil unrest in American history.

This weekend brought back memories of:

The killing of Latasha Harlins, the 15-year-old school girl who was shot in the back of the head with an illegally modified gun by a female Korean store owner who thought Latasha was stealing a $1.79 bottle of orange juice. Du maintained that although she shot the school girl in the back of the head as she walked out of the store, it was an “accident” and she felt in fear of her life. The jury found Mrs. Soon Ja Du guilty of voluntary manslaughter, which carried a maximum sentence of 16 years. The judge, Joyce A. Karlin, gave Du a $500 fine and community service. $500 for a life, with a family facing the lifelong loss of their child.

The savage, inhumane, and obviously, undoubtedly, unequivocally, unjust beating of Rodney King that was caught on video and broadcast around the world. The four officers were found “not guilty”.

The rioting that killed 55 people and caused more than $1 billion in damage to an already economically-depressed neighborhood.

Daryl Gates, the racist head of the LAPD, who, while the riots broke out—attended a fundraiser geared at defeating reform in his department—and then ordered his department to stand back and let it burn.

The brave firemen, who refused to stand back, and braved the chaos and tried to put out hundreds of raging fires while being shot at. Firemen had to arm themselves after LAPD told them, “You’re on your own. We will not respond.” A fireman was eventually shot in the face.

Ultimately, the heartbreaking words of uprisers in the National Geographic documentary “LA92” hit home after they were asked why they were uprising? “Every time we talk about peace, we get a foot in our ass!” and “I don’t think it will ever change, it may not look like this, but it will never change.”

LA92 starts and ends with a reporter from the 1965 LA Watts Riots. The words of the reporting from 1965 and 1992 are exactly the same — the words of the reporters could be superimposed onto each other — bringing to realization that in 1992, nothing had changed.

Beginning Monday, May 1 2017, we must make a commitment to finally MAKE IT CHANGE.

TO LIVE IN DAY IN LA

It’s the City of Angels and constant danger South Central LA, can’t get no stranger Full of drama like a soap opera, on the curb Watching the ghetto bird helicopters, I observe So many niggas getting three strikes, tossed in jail I swear the pen the right across from hell, I can’t cry ‘Cause it’s on now, I’m just a nigga on his own now Living life Thug style, so I can’t smile Writing to my peoples when they ask for pictures Thinking Cali just fun and bitches, Better learn about the dress code, be ‘s and see’s All them other niggas copycats, these is G’s I love Cali like I love woman ‘Cause every nigga in LA got a little bit of Thug in him We might fight with each other, but I promise you this We’ll burn this bitch down, get us pissed To live and die in LA (Let my angel sing)

‘Cause would it be LA without Mexicans? Black love brown pride and the sets again Pete Wilson trying to see us all broke, I’m on some bullshit Out for everything they owe, remember K-DAY Weekends, Crenshaw, M-L-K

More Rare Photos Of The L.A. Uprising By Abraham Torres Can Be Seen At rumbleskout3.com.